Perfect Balance, Perfect Joy

Wednesday, December 08, 2010

Posted by Catherine C., director, tea

The day after Thanksgiving, bustling groups of shoppers, parade-goers and Pike Place Market tourists kept our downtown Seattle Starbucks humming all morning long. As I was preparing dozens of holiday beverage samples, a couple of baristas working alongside me shared their enthusiasm for our Tazo® Joy™ tea but surprise that it doesn’t smell like the holidays.

“I really like it but was expecting it to have cinnamon, cloves or some other spices”, one barista explained. “Me too, though I thought it should have minty notes,” another continued.

While our traditional holiday tea may not have these traditional holiday scents, it is one of my all-time favorites. It brings a perfect balance to what can otherwise be a really busy time of year. I love it for its medium body, its peachy smooth flavor, aromas of burnt caramel and brown sugar, and how well it goes with a little food and delightful conversation.

Our brilliant tea buyers and blenders carefully craft this tea from a variety of sources: rare, black Darjeelings from the Himalayan foothills of Northern India, Sri Lankan black Uva teas grown on the high peaks of the central highlands, South Indian black Nilgiri teas for texture and complexity, high-quality Formosa Oolongs from Taiwan, and Chinese green Jasmine teas from Fujian province to complete this unique blend with lighter floral notes. It is truly a pleasure to share a perfect cup of Joy with friends and family when it returns every holiday – now in its ninth year!